Beatlemania Hits Great Neck With ‘Deconstructing The Beatles’ Film Series

It was 50 years ago this June / Sgt. Pepper made his Beatles debut.

In the run-up to golden anniversary of the Fab Four releasing their influential eighth studio album, the Gold Coast Film Festival is hosting a film lecture series starring internationally recognized Beatles expert Scott Freiman at Bow Tie Squire Cinemas in Great Neck.

Rolling Stone magazine called Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band “the most important rock ‘n’ roll album ever made, an unsurpassed adventure in concept, sound, songwriting, cover art and studio technology by the greatest rock ‘n’ roll group of all time.”

Besides the popular title track, the colorful album, released to critical acclaim on June 1, 1967, included such Beatles classics as “With a Little Help from My Friends,” “Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds,” “Getting Better,” “When I’m Sixty Four” and “A Day in the Life.”

The series kicks off April 27 with a screening of Deconstructing The White Album. Reconstructing Revolver screens on May 11 and the new release Deconstructing Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band screens June 1, followed by a celebration of the album at the Gold Coast Arts Center next door to the movie theater. The series concludes with Deconstructing Rubber Soul on June 29.

Each is a previously recorded film lecture in which Freiman—author of All the Songs: The Story Behind Every Beatles Release—analyses the inspiration, history and evolution of each album while pulling the curtain back on why the groundbreaking band is so beloved.

The June 1 Sgt. Pepper post-screening party will feature live performances by BeyondFab!, a local Beatles tribute band that will play songs from the entire catalogue. Deserts and drinks will also be served.

The film series will be screened at Bow Tie Squire Cinemas, 115 Middle Neck Rd. in Great Neck. The party will be held at the Gold Coast Arts Center, 113 Middle Neck Rd. in Great Neck. Tickets for the screenings cost $10 for students, $15 for adults in advance and $20 at the door. Tickets for the party cost $45 for students, $65 for adults. Tickets can be purchased for the whole package—including the party—for $100. For more information, visit goldcoastarts.org and bowtiecinemas.com

Timothy Bolger is the Editor in Chief of the Long Island Press who’s been working to uncover unreported stories since shortly after it launched in 2003. When he’s not editing, getting hassled by The Man or fielding cold calls to the newsroom, he covers crime, general interest and political news in addition to reporting longer, sometimes investigative features. He won’t be happy until everyone is as pissed off as he is about how screwed up Lawn Guyland is.